2013 Honda Pilot

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA PILOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED AFTER FLASHING NUMEROUS TIMES. BMW OF MURRIETA (41430 AUTO MALL PKWY, MURRIETA, CA 92562, (951) 200-5491) DID NOT MENTION IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V382000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE CONSTANTLY HAD A REDUCTION IN POWER WHEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA PILOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND VTM-4 INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000.

WIFE HAD TO PULL OVER ON HER WAY BACK FROM DROPPING MY DAUGHTER OFF AT DANCE DUE TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND FRONT OF CAR SHAKING NOTICEABLY. CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE DUE TO SAFETY AND CONCERN OF FURTHER DAMAGING ENGINE AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED THE CAR BE TAKEN TO DEALER AS IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE UNDER SERVICE BULLETIN 13-082. DEALER REPLACED PISTON RINGS AND SPARK PLUGS 1-4 AT NO CHARGE. HOWEVER, I HAD TO PAY FOR TOW AND INITIAL DIAGNOSIS FROM MY NON-HONDA DEALER MECHANIC. SUFFICE TO SAY WE'RE NOT HAPPY THIS IS HAPPENING AS WE'RE STILL PAYING THE CAR OFF AND WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT OUT THE LEASE LAST YEAR HAD WE KNOWN OF THIS ISSUE, WHICH WAS KNOWN BY HONDA BEFORE WE BOUGHT OUT THE LEASE.

ON 7/5/2016, I SET OUT TO DRIVE MY PARENTS TO AN APPOINTMENT. I AM THEIR FULL-TIME CAREGIVER. MY FATHER HAS DEMENTIA & RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND MY MOTHER HAS ALZHEIMER'S. MY 9 YR OLD GOLDEN RETRIEVER WAS ALSO IN THE CAR. WHEN I TRIED STARTING THE CAR, IT DIDN'T WANT TO TURN OVER. BUT AFTER A FEW TRIES, IT STARTED. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON, SO I FIGURED IT WAS A FLUKE. I PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, BEGAN DRIVING (NEIGHBORHOOD - 25MPH SPEED LIM) AND SHORTLY BEGAN HEARING KNOCKING NOISES. AFTER LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE (CROSSING SUBURBAN MAIN ROAD 35MPH SPEED LIM), THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL. I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS, AND I PROMPTLY TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK HOME. IT CONTINUED TO KNOCK AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 20 MPH. STILL, NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. I ALSO CHECKED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND OIL GAUGES AND THEY WERE ALSO GIVING NORMAL READINGS. WE FAILED TO MAKE IT THE QUARTER-MILE BACK HOME. SHORTLY AFTER I TURNED THE CORNER ONE STREET AWAY FROM OUR HOUSE, THERE WAS A SUDDEN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. LESS THAN A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE THE EXPLOSION, THE CHECK OIL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. IT DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO GET MY FINGER ON THE KEY BEFORE IT SET ABLAZE. MY FATHER CAN'T WALK WELL AND USES A SCOOTER. BOTH MY PARENTS ARE DIMINISHED MENTALLY AND COULD NOT UNLOCK THEIR DOORS WHICH DID NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY. IF I HADN'T ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS, & IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE MAIN ROAD INSTEAD OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE CAME TO HELP, I COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN EVERYONE OUT IN TIME. INSURANCE CO TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON ENGINE PISTON WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF - #13V382000. NEITHER DEALERSHIP-HERITAGE HONDA WESTMINSTER MD-NOR LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER SHOCKLEY HONDA KNEW ABOUT IT EITHER.

ENGINE/PISTON/RING ISSUE. RINGS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY IN ONE OF PISTONS ( FACTORY/ASSEMBLY ERROR) RESULTED IN OIL LEAKING AND THROWN ON ENGINE , CAUSED 2 SPARK PLUGS TO FAIL, THIS CAUSED ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AND THEN THE VSA AND VTM-4 CAME ON AND THE ECO LIGHT STOPPED WORKING...WE WERE TRAVELLING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON HIGHWAY. WE WERE REALLY AFRAID WHEN THE VTM-4 LIGHT CAME ON! WE HAD TO PULL OFF ROAD, FOR FEAR OF RUINING THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.. WE COULDN'T GET THE LIGHTS TO GO OFF, FINALLY VTM-4 LIGHT WENT OFF AND ON THE OTHER LIGHTS STAYED ON...IT WAS CONFUSING.... BECAUSE THE LIGHTS WERE FALSE INDICATORS DUE TO BEING CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE LIGHT. THIS MALFUNCTION CAUSED THE VSA AND VTM-4 AND ECO LIGHT TO COME ON FALSELY. CREATING PANIC WHILE TRAVELLING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON INTERSTATE. CREATING THE FALSE IMPRESSSION THAT THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM HAD BEEN ACTIVATED WHILE TRAVELLING AT A SPEED OF 70 MILES AN HOUR. SUGGESTION:.... ENGINE LIGHT SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM OTHER WARNING SYSTEM LIGHTS..THIS INCIDENT OCCURED APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES FROM OUR HOME ON A SUNDAY ..WE TOOK AUTOMOBILE TO DEALER MONDAY A.M. AND HAD REPAIR OF PISTON/RING GASKETS ETC IT WAS DETERMINED THE OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE FALSE INDICATORS.. .

WHEN MY PILOT GOES INTO ECO MODE THERE IS CONSIDERABLE VIBRATION THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL, GAS PEDAL, INTERIOR DOOR PANEL IF YOUR LEG IS RESTING AGAINST IT, ALSO THERE IS ENOUGH REVERB IN THE CAB THAT AT TIMES IT CAN IRRITATE YOUR INNER EAR. ITS THE WORST AROUND 45 TO 65 BUT CAN BE FELT AT MOST SPEEDS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER ITS CITY OR HIGHWAY ITS PRESENT WHENEVER ECO IS ON AT CRUISING SPEED. I TOOK MY PILOT TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE ISSUE. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION BUT THEY SAID IT WAS THE ENGINE GOING INTO ECO MODE AND THAT IT WAS NORMAL. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLES ENGINE PRODUCE THE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION THAT THIS ONE DOES AND TO BE TOLD ITS NORMAL TO ME IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE SINCE READ MANY THREADS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH HONDA AND THEY NEED TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2015, HAVE OWNED IT LESS THAT A YEAR AND THIS ISSUE MAKES IT A VERY UNDESIRABLE VEHICLE TO OWN AND IF HONDA DOESN'T PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THIS WE WILL MOST LIKELY GET RID OF THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER BUY ANOTHER HONDA AGAIN NOR RECOMMEND THIS MANUFACTURER.

I PURCHASED MY 2013 HONDA CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN AUGUST 2015. TEST DRIVE WAS SHORT AND FELT NO ISSUES. FELT THE SHUDDER ON A HIGHWAY DRIVE THE NEXT DAY. NOW I QUESTION IF THE SALESPERSON KNEW THIS WOULD BE NOTICED AND DELIBERATELY MADE THE TEST RIDE SHORT TO AVOID THIS BEING NOTICED. I EVEN ASKED HER ABOUT THE VIBRATION ISSUE FROM REPORTS I HAD READ ABOUT BEFORE THE PURCHASE. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT AN VALID ISSUE AND THAT SHE HAD OWNED A PILOT AND NEVER FELT ANYTHING. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK AND A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS DONE AS WELL AS FLUID CHANGE IN TRANS WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH. IT STILL HAD THE SHUDDER. AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW WEEKS TO GIVE IT A CHANCE TO PROVE ITSELF AND IT NOT ME "LOOKING" FOR A PROBLEM I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER TO REPORT THIS AND INFORM HIM I WOULD COMING BACK WHEN MY SCHEDULE ALLOWED. IT IS GETTING MORE FREQUENT AND IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER WHETHER IN ECO MODE OR NOT. THE SHUDDER USUALLY HAPPENS AROUND 38-42 MPH. BUT WILL BEGIN ANYTIME THE VEHICLE CRUISES IN ANY SPEED RANGE CONTINUALLY. AT HIGHER SPEEDS I CAN FEEL MY SKIN SHAKE LIKE ONE OF THOSE FAT BURNING SHAKING BELTS FROM YEARS PAST. (JUST SO YOU KNOW I AM OF AVERAGE BUILD WITHOUT EXCESSIVE BODY SKIN.) BROUGHT THE CAR BACK A SECOND TIME. THAT WAS TODAY FEB. 3, 2016. WENT FOR RIDE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. TOLD HIM IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. HIS CONCLUSION WAS THAT THIS "SHUDDER" WAS A "CHARACTERISTIC" OF MY $28,000 PURCHASE. MY 1999 SUBURBAN THAT I TRADED IN HAD A BETTER RIDE. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HONDA. I AM GOING TO ANOTHER DEALER TO GET A SECOND OPINION.

ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AND THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM THE MOTOR FOR ALMOST 2 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEEDS AND ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON THE FREEWAY ( SLOW DRIVER AHEAD ) THEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO PASS AND AGAIN, NO RESPONSE FROM THE MOTOR FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THIS IS VERY INTERMITTENT AND I HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT ON DEMAND. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. IT CAN BE A BIT SCARY.